Preformed anterior labial retainer

Abstract

A retainer comprising a portion located against the lingual tooth and tissue surfaces for holding a wire against the labial surfaces of the anterior teeth, which is known as a Hawley Retainer, is preformed as a molded piece of a shape and of a material permitting fitting to a patient by a method which includes reshaping of the preform directly in the mouth of the patient, thereby eliminating the need to first form a cast of the patient's teeth. Several preforms of different sizes form a set which will fit mouth sizes of substantially the entire dental patient population. The material is designed to soften for non-elastic manipulation against the lingual surfaces at a temperature above body temperature but below that temperature at which the tissues within the patient's mouth would burn.

I claim: 
     
       1. A preformed orthodontic device adapted to be placed within a patient's mouth and reshaped against the lingual surfaces for holding a wire against the labial surfaces of the patient's anterior teeth, said device comprising: a forward portion having a front edge positionable adjacent the lingual surfaces of the said anterior teeth,   and a rearward portion extending rearwardly along the lingual surfaces of some posterior teeth including at least the bicuspid teeth, said rearward portion including an essentially plain exterior surface lying adjacent said posterior teeth at least from that side of the gingival edges away from the occlusal edges, across the gingival edges to at least part of the distance towards the occlusal edges thereof.   
     
     
       2. A preformed orthodontic device according to claim 1, said rearward portion extending alongside the lingual surfaces beyond the occlusal edges of the posterior teeth. 
     
     
       3. A preformed orthodontic device according to claim 2, said rearward portion extending rearwardly to at least the second molars. 
     
     
       4. A preformed orthodontic device according to claim 1, said device being a maxillary retainer and said rear portion being in the shape of an arch having an upper portion adapted to be shaped against the palate and lateral sides extending alongside said lingual surfaces of some posterior teeth. 
     
     
       5. A preformed orthodontic device according to claim 4, said lateral sides extending along said lingual surfaces of the said posterior teeth to below the occlusal edges thereof. 
     
     
       6. A preformed orthodontic device according to claim 5, said rearward portion extending rearwardly to at least the second molars. 
     
     
       7. A preformed orthodontic device according to claim 1, including a labial wire anchored at its ends within the device and extending about the front of the device for lying against the labial surfaces of said anterior teeth. 
     
     
       8. A preformed orthodontic device according to claim 7, said front portion increasing in thickness just rearward of the front edge to form a thicker part, and said wire being anchored within said thicker part. 
     
     
       9. A preformed orthodontic device according to claim 1, said device being of a material which is sufficiently stiff at body temperature to retain its shape upon normal use and which becomes sufficiently soft at a temperature between 110° F and 190° F to be essentially non-elastically reshaped by hand to the contours of at least some lingual surfaces by hand manipulation while the device is within the patient's mouth. 
     
     
       10. A preformed orthodontic device according to claim 9, said device being a maxillary retainer and said rear portion being in the shape of an arch having an upper portion adapted to be shaped against the palate and lateral sides extending alongside said lingual surfaces of some posterior teeth, and said front portion increasing in thickness just rearward of the front edge to form a thicker part, and wherein at the softening temperature only the said rearward portion is capable of hand manipulation for reshaping to the contours of the lingual surfaces and the said thicker part at the front essentially retains its shape for subsequent use of the device. 
     
     
       11. A preformed orthodontic appliance according to claim 9, wherein the softening temperature is between 140° F and 170° F. 
     
     
       12. An orthodontic device according to claim 9, said front portion increasing in thickness just rearward of the front edge to form a thicker part, and including a labial wire anchored at its ends within the device and extending about the front of the device for laying against the labial surfaces of said anterior teeth, said wire being anchored within the thicker part, and said thicker part being stretchable in said softened state to vary the overall length of the said front curved part of the wire. 
     
     
       13. An orthodontic appliance according to claim 1, said rearward portion extending rearwardly to at least the second molars, and including wire clasps embedded at their inner ends in said rearward portions and extending outwardly to pass between a posterior interproximal and engage on the buccal side of the posterior teeth. 
     
     
       14. A preformed orthodontic device according to claim 1, said device being a mandibular retainer. 
     
     
       15. A preformed orthodontic device according to claim 14, said device being an injection molded device. 
     
     
       16. A preformed orthodontic device adapted to be placed within a patient's mouth and reshaped against the lingual surfaces for holding a wire against the labial surfaces of the patient's anterior teeth, said device comprising: a forward portion having a front edge positionable adjacent the lingual surfaces of the said anterior teeth, and a rearward portion extending rearwardly along at least some of the lingual surfaces of the teeth rearward of the anterior teeth the thickness of the front portion increasing from a thin front edge to a thicker part just rearwardly thereof, said thicker part being thicker than the said rearward portion,   and a wire anchored at its ends in the said thicker part and protruding out the sides thereof and extending about the front of the device with a curvature which generally parallels that of said front edge for lying against the labial surfaces of said anterior teeth.   
     
     
       17. A preformed orthodontic device according to claim 16, said device being a maxillary retainer, said thicker part shaped to engage and fit against the surface of the palate of the patient immediately rearward of said front edge. 
     
     
       18. A preformed orthodontic device according to claim 17, the ends of the wire being located approximately halfway through the thickness of the said thicker part. 
     
     
       19. A preformed orthodontic device according to claim 16, said rearward portion extending rearwardly along the lingual surfaces of at least the bicuspid teeth, said rearward portion including an essentially plain exterior surface lying adjacent said posterior teeth at least from that side of the gingival edges away from the occlusal edges, across the gingival edges to at least part of the distance toward the occlusal edges thereof. 
     
     
       20. A preformed orthodontic device according to claim 19, said rearward portion extending alongside the lingual surfaces beyond the occlusal edges of the posterior teeth and extending rearwardly at least to the second molars. 
     
     
       21. A preformed orthodontic device according to claim 19, said device being of a material which is sufficiently stiff at body temperature to retain its shape upon normal use and which becomes sufficiently soft at a temperature between 110° F and 190° F to be essentially non-elastically reshaped by hand to the contours of at least some lingual surfaces by hand manipulation while the device is within the patient's mouth. 
     
     
       22. A preformed orthodontic device according to claim 16, said device being a mandibular retainer. 
     
     
       23. A preformed orthodontic device according to claim 16, the ends of said wire being connected to form a closed loop which passes through said thicker part of the front portion. 
     
     
       24. A preformed orthodontic device adapted to be placed within a patient's mouth and reshaped against the lingual surfaces for holding a wire against the labial surfaces of the patient's anterior teeth, said device comprising: a forward portion having a front edge positionable adjacent the lingual surfaces of the said anterior teeth,   and a rearward portion extending rearwardly alongside at least some of the lingual surfaces rearward of the anterior teeth and of a shape different from the precise contour of the lingual tooth or tissue surfaces of any specific patient,   said device being of a material which is sufficiently stiff at body temperature to retain its shape upon normal use and which becomes sufficiently soft at temperature at least 10° F above body temperature but less than 190° F that at least the said rearward portion can be reshaped to the contours of certain lingual surfaces by hand manipulation while within the patient's mouth and then essentially maintain that shape upon returning to body temperature.   
     
     
       25. A preformed orthodontic device according to claim 24, wherein said material softens between 140° F and 170° F. 
     
     
       26. A preformed orthodontic device according to claim 24, said rearward portion having an essentially plain surface facing the said lingual surfaces of the posterior teeth and being capable of being reshaped against the lingual surfaces when the material is softened. 
     
     
       27. A preformed orthodontic device according to claim 24, said front portion increasing in thickness just rearward of the front edge to form a thicker part, and wherein at the softening temperature only the said rearward portion is capable of hand reshaping, the said thicker part at the front essentially retaining its shape for subsequent use of the device. 
     
     
       28. A preformed orthodontic device according to claim 27, including a labial wire anchored at its end within the device and extending about the front of the device for lying against the labial surfaces of said anterior teeth, the said wire being anchored within said thicker part, and said thicker part being stretchable at said softening temperature to vary the overall length of the said front curved part of the wire. 
     
     
       29. A preformed orthodontic device according to claim 24, said device being a maxillary retainer and said rear portion being in the shape of an arch having an upper portion adapted to be shaped against the palate and lateral sides extending alongside said lingual surfaces of some posterior teeth. 
     
     
       30. A preformed orthodontic device according to claim 29, said front portion increasing in thickness just rearward of the front edge to form a thicker part, and wherein at the softening temperature only the said rearward portion is capable of hand reshaping, the said thicker part at the front essentially retaining its shape for subsequent use of the device. 
     
     
       31. A preformed orthodontic device according to claim 30, including a labial wire anchored at its ends within the said thicker part of the device and extending about the front of the device for lying against the labial surfaces of said anterior teeth, and said thicker part being stretchable at said softening temperature to vary the overall length of the said front curved part of the wire. 
     
     
       32. A preformed orthodontic device according to claim 24, said device being a mandibular retainer. 
     
     
       33. A set of a plurality of preformed orthodontic devices of the type adapted to be placed within a patient's mouth and reshaped against the lingual surfaces for holding a wire against the labial surfaces of the patient's anterior teeth: each device of the set including a forward portion having a front edge positionable adjacent the lingual surfaces of the anterior teeth and a rearward portion extending rearwardly alongside at least some of the lingual surfaces rearward of said anterior teeth, the shape of the rearward portion being different from the precise contour of the said lingual surfaces of any specific patient, the device being of a material which under at least some conditions permits essentially non-elastic reshaping of the device within the patient's mouth to adapt it to the shape of certain adjacent lingual surfaces of the patient,   each device of the set being of a different size from the other devices of the set for fitting a different range of mouth sizes, and all devices of the set, taken together, fitting substantially all mouth sizes of the total dental population.   
     
     
       34. A set of preformed orthodontic devices according to claim 33, wherein there are seven different sizes in the set, which set fits approximately 95% of the entire dental ptaient population. 
     
     
       35. A set of preformed orthodontic devices according to claim 34, wherein said devices are maxillary retainers and include labial wires embedded therein. 
     
     
       36. A set of preformed orthodontic devices according to claim 35, said devices having dimensions substantially as set forth in Tables I-X. 
     
     
       37. A set of preformed orthodontic devices according to claim 35, wherein the radius of curvature of the labial wires of all devices of the set are essentially 0.868 inches. 
     
     
       38. A set of preformed orthodontic devices according to claim 35, wherein the total mesio-distal measurement along the front of the devices between the points where the wires enter the devices to be held therein is approximately 42.5 mm for the smallest size and 60.5 mm for the largest size. 
     
     
       39. A set of preformed orthodontic devices according to claim 35, said devices having dimensions substantially as set forth in Table I. 
     
     
       40. A set of preformed orthodontic devices according to claim 35, said devices having dimensions substantially as set forth in Table II. 
     
     
       41. A set of preformed orthodontic devices according to claim 35, said devices having dimensions substantially as set forth in Table III. 
     
     
       42. A set of preformed orthodontic devices according to claim 35, said devices having dimensions substantially as set forth in Table IV. 
     
     
       43. A set of preformed orthodontic devices according to claim 35, said devices having dimensions substantially as set forth in Table V. 
     
     
       44. A set of preformed orthodontic devices according to claim 35, said devices having dimensions substantially as set forth in Table VI. 
     
     
       45. A set of preformed orthodontic devices according to claim 35, said devices having dimensions substantially as set forth in Table VII. 
     
     
       46. A set of preformed orthodontic devices according to claim 35, said devices having dimensions substantially as set forth in Table VIII. 
     
     
       47. A set of preformed orthodontic devices according to claim 35, said devices having dimensions substantially as set forth in Table IX. 
     
     
       48. A set of preformed orthodontic devices according to claim 35, said devices having dimensions substantially as set forth in Table X. 
     
     
       49. A set of preformed orthodontic devices according to claim 33, each said device being of a material which is sufficiently stiff at body temperature to retain its shape upon normal use and which becomes sufficiently soft at a temperature between 110° F and 190° F to be essentially non-elastically reshaped by hand to the contours of at least some lingual surfaces by hand manipulation while the device is within the patient's mouth. 
     
     
       50. A set of preformed orthodontic devices according to claim 49, said rearward portion of each device having an essentially plain surface facing the said lingual surfaces of the posterior teeth and being capable of being reshaped against the lingual surfaces when the material is softened. 
     
     
       51. A set of preformed orthodontic devices according to claim 50, the front portion of each device increasing in thickness just rearward of the front edge to form a thicker part, and wherein at the softening temperature only the said rearward portion is capable of hand reshaping, the said thicker part at the front essentially retaining its shape during subsequent use of the device. 
     
     
       52. A set of preformed orthodontic devices according to claim 51, including a labial wire anchored at its ends within each device and extending about the front of its respective device for lying against the labial surfaces of said anterior teeth, said wires being embedded in the said thicker part. 
     
     
       53. A set of preformed orthodontic devices according to claim 52, each device being a maxillary retainer and said rear portion being in the shape of an arch having an upper portion adapted to be shaped against the palate and lateral sides extending alongside said lingual surfaces of some posterior teeth. 
     
     
       54. A method of fitting a patient with an orthodontic device of the type which is placed in the patient's mouth against the lingual surfaces for holding a wire against the labial surfaces of said anterior teeth, comprising the steps of: taking a device which is preformed, prior to any contact with the mouth any specific patient or any facsimile thereof, to include at least a front portion positionable adjacent the lingual surfaces of the anterior teeth for cooperating in use of the device with a wire located on the labial side of the anterior teeth, and a rearward portion extending rearwardly along the lingual surfaces rearward of the anterior teeth,   inserting the device into the mouth against the said lingual surfaces, and while the device is in the mouth, essentially non-elastically reshaping the device to the contours of at least some of said lingual surfaces to retain the device in the patient's mouth during normal use thereof.   
     
     
       55. A method according to claim 54, wherein there are provided a limited number of said preformed devices which are different from each other and which together fit substantially the entire dental patient population, and said step of taking further including measuring the patient's mouth and, depending on said measurement, selecting an appropriate size preformed device. 
     
     
       56. A method according to claim 54, wherein the device is of a material which softens at a temperature between 110° and 190° F and the device includes a labial wire anchored at its ends in the front portion, and said inserting step includes heating the device to soften it and while soft, placing the labial wire against the labial surfaces of the front teeth and with the labial wire in place manipulating the forward and rearward portions of the device to adapt them to at least some of the lingual surfaces. 
     
     
       57. A method according to claim 56, wherein the device is a maxillary retainer, and said step of manipulating includes shaping the rearward portion to the palate and the lateral lingual surfaces. 
     
     
       58. A method according to claim 57, including cutting the rearward portion after it has been shaped to the palate and lingual surfaces approximately just occlusal of the gingival edges of the posterior teeth. 
     
     
       59. A method according to claim 58, including forming interproximal points along the outer edges of the cut rearward portion by bending parts of said edges into the interproximals between the posterior teeth. 
     
     
       60. A method according to claim 58, including forming interproximal points along the cut outer edges of the rearward portion by adding a self-cure material to the said outer edges and placing the device into the patient's mouth so that the self-curing material in its softened state forms to the shapes of the interproximals and then permitting such self-curing material to harden. 
     
     
       61. A method according to claim 57, including adding a self-cure material along the posterior end of the retainer to prevent warpage thereof. 
     
     
       62. A method according to claim 56, wherein the device is heated to a temperature between 140° and 170° F to soften the same. 
     
     
       63. A method according to claim 54, wherein the individual preformed devices are made by injection molding.